Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – After nearly six hours of blocking the main avenue of Puerto Vallarta, protesters who oppose the vehicle verification program promoted by the state government have cleared the lanes of the main avenue.
The day was marked by some tense moments, with attempts at violence that fortunately did not escalate. However, the protesters made it clear that they will demonstrate again if the state government insists on maintaining vehicle inspections in this tourist destination.
Throughout the day, riot police attempted to clear the streets while the protesters blocked northbound traffic, intermittently opening up one lane.
After almost six hours, the main street was finally liberated, but not before thousands of motorists were affected and some tourists were forced to take alternative routes or even walk with their luggage through the protest.
This marks the second day of blockades in Puerto Vallarta, with the first taking place on March 31, when Francisco Medina Ascencio avenue was shut down, causing disruptions not only in Puerto Vallarta, but also throughout the Riviera Nayarit.
Today’s protest had less impact on tourism and flights at the Puerto Vallarta airport because the city planned ahead and offered alternative routes, including boat rides around the protest, to reach the airport.
The last protest, according to Susana Rodríguez Mejía, a representative of the state government, caused significant disruptions to air travel. The protest and road blockade on Puerto Vallarta’s most important highway resulted in the cancellation of 32 flights and affected more than 600 people. The Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates the airport terminal, provided data to support these claims. There are no reports yet of delayed or canceled flights due to today’s protest.
Protesters have already announced their intention to hold more demonstrations in the coming days, and beyond, as long as vehicle inspections are enforced by the State of Jalisco.
